Stalk-cutter.



J. V. EDWARDS.

STALK GUTTER.

APPLOATION FILED .TUNE Z5, 1913.

Patented May 26, 1914.

J. V. EDWARDS.

STALK GUTTER.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 25. 191s.

Patented May 26, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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Hneooeo J. V. EDWARDS'.

STALK GUTTER.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNI: 25, 1913.

1,097,6 I7. Patented May 26, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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JESSIE V. EDWARDS, 015 BEEVILLE, TEXAS.

STALK-CUTTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led June 2e, 1913.

Patented May 26, 1914. Serial No. 775,758.

To @ZZ sli/om t may concern:

Be it known that l, JEssrn V. Fnwaans, citizen of th-e United States, residing at Beeville, in the county of Bee and Stateof Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stalk-Cutters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to stalk cutters, and has for its object the provision of a machine composed of few parts which, as it is drawn over a field, will cut up stalks and stems of weeds and vines so that the iield may be easily prepared for cultivation.

An object of the invention is to provide novel means whereby as the machine is drawn over the eld the cutter will be given a rocking or oscillatory movement so that the edges of the blades will be caused to positively pass through the stems and stalks in their paths.

Another object of the invention is to provide means whereby the extent of the rocking or oscillatory movement of the blades may be regulated, and a still further object of the invention is to provide novel means for holding the cutter to its work and for raising it so as to clear rocks or other unyielding obstructions.

Finally, the object of the invention is to improve, generally, the construction and arrangement of parts of a stalk cutter to the end that the efliciency and durability of the machine may be increased without any increase in the cost of production and up-keep.

These stated objects, and such other incidental objects as will appear from the following description, are attained in an apparatus of the type illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and the invention consists in certain novel features which will be particularly pointed out in the claims following the description.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a rear elevation of a stalk cutter constructed in accordance with my invention; lFig. 2 is a sectional eleva-tion of the same, the section being taken on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail longitudinal section of the means for raising and lowering the cutter; Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken on the line 4-4 of F ig. 3; Fig. is a detail view of a part of the supporting members; Fig. 6 is a detail view of part of the means for regulating the rocking movement of the cutter; Figs. 7 and 8 are detail perspective views showing means provided for supporting the cutter shaft and the chain for adjustiilg the oscillation of the same.

In carrying out my invention, I employ an axle 1 having a plurality of arched portions 2 and 3 and having supporting and carrying wheels i1 mounted upon its ends. The tongue 5 is rigidly secured in any convenient manner to the central arch 3 of the axle, and whitlictrees of any preferred arrangement may be mounted upon the tongue to permit draft animals to be connected therewith so that the machine may be drawn over the field to be treated. To the rear end of the tongue 5 l secure a supporting plate G which projects rearwardly from the tongue and carries a seat 7 for the driver at its rear end. A loop or handle 8 is provided over the central arch 3 of the axle and is constructed at its ends with forks 9 adapt ed to pass downwardly at the sides of the axle and equipped at their lower ends with plates or washers 10 ext-ending under the arch of the axle and nuts 11 fitted on the ends of the said forks and turned home against the said plates to secure the loop or handle 8 rigidly in position upon the axle.

A shaft 12 is disposed immediately below the axle and is provided with angular ends upon which are fitted and secured angular sleeves or eyes 13 from which crank arms 1:11 extend. The said shaft 12 is supported from the axle by a hanger 15 adjacent each end. `Each hanger consists of a stem or shank provided at its upper end with a fork 16 adapted to lit around the inner side portion of the outer arch 2 of the axle and an eye or loop 17 at the lower end of the said stem or shank which iits around the shaft 12 so as to form a bearing and support therefor. A clip 18 is fitted over the axle immediately adjacent each outer arch 2, and the sides of this clip extend downwardly past the shaft 12 and carry a washer or plate 19 extending between the sides of the clip under the axle and bearing thereagainst and a similar washer or plate 2O extending between the sides of the clip and under the shaft. Between these two plates 19 and 20 bearings 21 are provid-ed to lit around the shaft and inclose the same and nuts 22 mounted on the ends of the clip and turned home against the lower plate 20 serve to secure the parts together and prevent loss of the bearings. The bearings are provided with end lugs or extensions as will be readily understood, to iit around the sides of the clip so that llO they will be held in proper relative position and will not oscillate upon the shaft so as to cause undue wear of the same. Between the hanger 15 and the bearings 21 a bracket 24 is loosely fitted upon the shaft, said bracket, as shown most clearly in Fig. 7, being provided with a sleeve or bearing 25 to fit around the shaft and being construct ed with diverging arms 26 extending from the said eye or bearing and provided at their ends with perforated lugs or ears 27, as shown.

Supporting bars 23 have their upper ends pivotally connected to the lugs 27 and their lower ends pivotally connected to similar lugs on the lower brackets 29 which are the same in all respects as the brackets 24, just described. The bars 28 are arranged in pairs at each side of the machine, as shown most clearly in Fig. 2, and the brackets 29 to which their lower ends are secured constitute supports or bearings for a lower sha-ft 30 to the central portion of which the cutter 31 is rigidly secured and the ends of which are angular to receive sleeves 32 corresponding to the sleeves 13 upon the shaft 12 and having crank arms 33 extending therefrom, said crank arms corresponding to the upper crank arms 14. Upon the extremity of each crank arm is fitted an eye 34 having a radial lug 35 extending therefrom, and a connecting rod 36 has its lower end pivoted to the lower lug 35 and its upper end pivoted to the upper lug, as clearly shown. These conneet-ing rods 36 have serrated or corrugated sides which are engaged by clamps, indicated generally at 37, and to which are attached the upper ends of chains 33 which extend across the machine between the front and rear bars 28 and have their lower ends secured between the perforated lugs 39 of a collar 40 fitted around the lower bracket 29 adjacent the eye or bearing on said bracket and against the under surfaces of the forked portion thereof so that any pull exerted by the chain upon the band will be resisted by the bracket and, consequently, the end of the shaft will be raised. This arrangement of parts is provided at each side of the machine and it will be readily understood that if the clamp be set higher upon the connecting rod the opposite end of the shaft will be lifted to a greater degree, whereas if the clamp be set lower a lesser oscillation will be imparted to the shaft.

The clamps 37 are shown in detail in Fig. 6 and comprise essentially a plate 41 having teeth 42 on its outer face to engage the corrugations on the inner side of the connecting bar or rod and provided at its lower end with a hook 43 adapted to be engaged by the upper end of the chain 38. A flange 44 is provided at the upper edge of the said plate 41 and a clip 45 is passed around the plate between said flange and the hook 43 and has its threaded extensions 46 passed across the front and rear edges of the connecting rod or bar. These threaded extensions 46 pass through openings 47 in a washer plate 43 which is provided in its inner face with corrugations or teeth 49 to engage the serrated outer side of the connecting bar 36 and nuts 50 are mounted upon the said threaded extensions 46 and turned home against the said washer plate to secure the several parts firmly in position upon the connecting bar. It will thus be readily seen that by loosening the nuts the clamps may be set at any desired point of the connecting Y bar and may be held in the set position by again turning the nuts home.

The cutter 31 consists, preferably, of two strong metallic plates having their edges beveled so as to cut readily through the vines and the said plates are bent into substantially a. V-shape with a flat apex so that they may be clamped to opposite sides of the angular central portion of the cutter shaft 30 and thereby present blades radiating from the said shaft.

The cutter shaft 30 is additionally supported by a fork or hanger consisting of side members 51 having their lower ends perforated or otherwise formed to t over the ends of the shaft and their upper ends rigidly secured to a central stem or standard 52 which extends upwardly between the side of the central arch 3 of the axle and the side of the tongue 5, as shown in Fig. 1. This stem or supporting lever 52 is provided near its upper end with a forwardly projecting arm 53 which extends under the tongue 5 and in advance of the axle and the shaft 12. The upper en d of the said stem or supporting lever 52 projects through a longitudinal slot 54 in a hand lever 55 which is arranged between the shaft l2 and the axle and has its front end bent upwardly, as shown at 56, to be hung upon a. fulcrum pin or bolt 57 inserted transversely through the tongue 5, as clearly shown. This hand lever 55 plays between the parallel members of a double locking rack or segment 53 which is rigidly secured to the arch 3 of the axle and the lever is equipped with a spring-controlled latch or locking pin 59 on each side adapted to engage the adjacent rack 60 of the locking segment. These latches 59 are connected by links 61 with a grip or handle 62 fulcrumed upon the lever 55 near the outer end thereof and a bail or loop 63 is mounted upon the extremity of the lever and adapted to swing over the end of the grip 62 to hold the latches out of engagement with the racks 60 when it is desired to have the lever inoperative. It will be readily seen that by raising and lowering the lever 55 the supporting lever or stem 52 will be swung upwardly or downwardly so that the cutter 31 may be permitted to penetrate the ground to a greater or less extent, and, inasmuch as the supporting lever 52 is loosely engaged by the hand lever, the cutter may readily yield to pass stones or other obstructions. If the lever 55 be raised to the upper limit of its movement, the stem or supporting lever 52 will be raised to such an extent that the cutter will be withdrawn from the ground and the machine may then be moved to another field while inoperative.

To hold the cutter to its work, 1 employ a treadle or foot lever 64 which is provided at its rear lower end with a pedal or foot rest 65 and extends loosely over the shaft l2 and rests thereon, the upper end of the treadle being extended forwardly beyond the said shaft and equipped with a grooved roller 66 which engages the under edge of the forwardly extending arm 53. as shown. To the sides of the treadle 64, 1 secure plates 67 which are provided on their under edges with teeth or lugs 68 adapted to rest against the shaft 12 and thereby serve to hold the treadle in proper position relative to the shaft. The driver presses downwardly upon the pedal 65 and thereby causes the treadle to tend to rock upon the shaft l2 so that the upper front end of the treadle will act upon the arm 53 and tend to swing said arm upwardly, thereby causing the lever 52 to exert a downward pressure upon the cutter shaft which will hold the cutter to its work.

It is thought the use and advantages of my machine will be readily understood from the foregoing description, taken in eonnection with the accompanying drawings. As the machine is drawn over the field the fork or rake 69 formed on the lower end of a stem 70, which has its upper end rigidly secured to the tongue 5, will engage the vines, stalks, and weeds so as to drag them into a position approximately at a right angle to the cutting edge of the blade, and the engagement of the blades with the ground will cause the blades and the cutter shaft to rotate. r1`he edges of the blades will thus be caused to successively take into the vines and stalks and the rotation of the shaft will be transmitted to the cranks at the ends thereof so that the connecting bars 36 will be reciproeated. rlhe reciprocation of the bars 36, or the up and down movement of the same due to the rotation of the cranks, will exert an upward pull alternately upon the oppositely extending chains 38 and, consequently, the opposite ends of the cutter will be alternately raised and lowered, whereby the cutter will be caused to rock or oscillate transversely of the machine and, consequently, positively cut through the stems and stalks. As before stated, by adjusting the hand lever 55 the cutter may be permitted to take into the ground to a greater or less extent and, consequently, the

movement of the cutter may be regulated according to the nature of the soil over which the machine is drawn. Should the cutter show a tendency to merely ride over the stalks without cutting through the same the driver will reduce the pressure he exerts on the treadle 64, and then while maintaining his position upon the machine by grasping the handle 8 at the rear end of the tongue, will lower the lever 55 and thereby force the blades to cut deeper. Should the cutter approach a large rock or other obstruction, the operator will remove his foot from the treadle 64 so as to relieve the same of all pressure, and if the lever 55 be then "aised, the cutter will readily ride over the obstruction without any damage. As the hanger or supporting bars 28 are loosely hung upon the upper shaft 12, the cutter shaft and the parts connected therewith may readily swing upwardly and rearwardly so as to ride over an obstruction, and, as the said bars and the connecting bars between the cranks are pivoted in planes at right angles to the planes of the connections with the shafts, the parts may readily move from side to side under the lateral pull exerted through the chains 38 so that binding or breaking of any of the working parts is not apt to occur.

What l claim is 1. 1n a stalk cutter, the combination of a wheeled frame, a cutter shaft carried by said frame and arranged transversely thereto, blades secured upon said shaft and extending longitudinally of the same, and means for oscillating the shaft in the direction of its length during its rotation.

2. A stalk cutter comprising upper and lower shafts provided with crank arms at their ends, connecting bars attached to the said cranks, a cutter secured to the lower shaft, and connections between each connecting bar and the end of the lower shaft distant from said bar.

3. 1n a stalk cutter, the combination of upper and lower shafts provided with crank arms at their ends, connecting bars between the crank arms at the corresponding ends of the shafts, a cutter secured to the lower shaft, and an adjustable connection between each connecting bar and the end of the lower shaft distant from the said bar.

4t. A stalk cutter comprising upper and lower shafts having` crank arms at their ends, connecting bars extending between the crank arms at the corresponding ends of the shafts, a cutter secured to the lower shaft, clamps adjustably mounted upon the connecting bars, and chains each having its upper end attached to the clamp on one of the connecting bars and its lower end connected with the end of the lower shaft dis tant from said connecting bar.

5. 1n a stalk cutter, the combination of an upper shaft, brackets loosely hung on said shaft, a lower shaft, brackets loosely fitted thereon, a cutter carried by the lower shaft, hanger` bars extending between and pivotally attached to said brackets, and 0perative connections between said shafts.

6. In a stalk cutter, the combination of a wheeled axle having arched portions, a crank shaft disposed immediately below the axle and provided at its ends with crank arms adapted to play through the arched portions of the axle, hangers secured to the said arched portions of the axle and engaging the shaft, bearings fitted around the said shaft, means for securing said bearings to the axle adjacent said arched portions thereof, brackets fitted upon the shaft between the hangers and said bearings, a lowei1 shaft, bearings for said shaft carried by said hangers, a cutter secured to said shaft, crank arms at the ends of said shaft, and connections between said crank arms and the crank arms on the upper shaft.

7. In a stalk cutter, the combination of a wheeled axle, a shaft carried thereby, a cutter shaft, hangers depending from the firstmentioned shaft and Vcarrying' the cutter shaft, a stem having its lower end equipped with supports for the cutter shaft, and a treadle mounted to rock upon the first-mentioned shaft and engage said stem whereby to hold the cutter to its work.

8. In a stalk cutter, the combination of an upper shaft, a lower shaft supported therefrom, a cutter carried by the lower shaft, a support for the said lower shaft having a stem rising past the upper shaft and provided with a forwardly extending arm above said upper shaft, and a treadle resting upon the upper shaft to rock about the same and having its forward end in advance of the said shaft engaging the said forwardly projecting arm.

9. In a stalk cutter, the combination of a support, a rack bar secured to said support, a lever fulcrumed upon the support and provided with a longitudinal slot, latches upon the lever to engage said rack bar, a cutter shafty disposed below the support, and a supporting lever having bearings for the said cutter shaft and extending upwardly therefrom throughV the longitudinal slot of the first-mentioned lever.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JESSIE V. EDIVARDS. [1.. s]

Witnesses R. L. Cox,

IV. G. GAYLE;

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ive cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of IPatents, Washington, D. C. 

